A Conversation Between Protagonists
by cantthinkofagoodone
Summary: Oneshot from a tumblr prompt. Makoto Naegi and Hajime Hinata finally get a moment to talk. Set after the events of DR2.


_One-shot from a prompt that asked to write a drabble about Naegi and Hinata. Set sometime in the year or so right after the events of DR2 so obviously you should be familiar with that game first if you don't want to be spoiled. English version naming conventions. No pairings explicit so it's friendly for any and all interpretations. Please enjoy!  
_

The light was still on. Hajime Hinata took a deep breath and approached the cottage door that was once again, for the first time, home to an Ultimate Lucky Student, though it might be more accurate to call it's current resident Ultimate Hope, as he had come to learn. He hesitated as he raised his hand, suddenly overtaken by an unwelcome, yet familiar feeling, something like _deja vu_ but for an experience he knew to be a false memory. Even so, it was amazing how the mere sight of that cottage filled him with dread, as if it was haunted by association...

The light switched off. That was it. He'd missed his chance. He turned to go. Tomorrow, the four and a half representatives from the Future Foundation would return to the mainland, and with everything they'd have to finish in the morning there's no way he'd get a chance to speak to–

"Er…. Hajime?" Makoto Naegi stood outside the door, the same sweetly bewildered expression as ever.  
"Oh. I didn't mean to bother you. I thought you'd gone to sleep."  
"Nah, I was just going for a walk. Is everything OK?"  
"Peachy." He didn't really mean it to sound so sarcastic, but it was understandable, especially considering the duress of the last week. Makoto easily overlooked it. "Want to come with me?"  
"Sure."

They walked toward the familiar beachfront in silence. It seemed almost eerily reminiscent of those first days (if they could be called that), with–  
"Are you all right?"  
"Huh?"  
"S-sorry, I just thought something might be worrying you." Makoto laughed hesitantly.  
"Not that anybody wouldn't be in this situation, right," Hajime replied flatly.  
"Yeah, that's true," Makoto scratched his neck, averting his eyes toward the ocean. Of course he was worried. Distraught was more like it. They all were. Every day there was suffering for all but the three who remained asleep, despite their efforts. Then again, who's to say what their realities were, that they weren't suffering somehow…  
No, he couldn't allow himself to think of it. It was all anyone could do to hold onto hope each day, one step at a time, as they rebuilt their lives.

For Hajime Hinata, that hope was what had brought him back. And none of them would have ever had a chance if it wasn't for the efforts of the 14th Division- and he knew that none of _that_ would have ever happened, had it not been for the man standing before him with his incredible powers of forgiveness and seeing the seeds of good and of hope in this world, even in the worst of the worst. Even in him. He owed Makoto Naegi… _everything_. And yet, in all this time, he hadn't been able to have so much as a meaningful conversation with him, let alone properly thank him.

"I'm sorry."

 _What?  
_ "What?"

"I'm sorry about… you know. That we haven't been able to bring back everyone from the New World Program yet. This time." Leave it to the Hope of all mankind to apologize to one of the main perpetrators of the Tragedy. But that was just the kind of person Makoto Naegi was, he didn't have it in his nature to be any other way.

Hajime Hinata shook his head, almost smiling at the irony. "Hey. Makoto. We know you guys are doing everything you can to help us. Even Fuyuhiko–" Makoto's face contorted at the mention of that name and the image of the broken gangster openly weeping for hours over the comatose body of his dearest companion earlier that day. Hajime immediately regretted bringing it up.

"We haven't given up. We know it's just a matter of time and you'll help us bring them all back." He firmly tried steering the conversation back on course, looking him in the eye.

Not all of them, of course. Makoto still had yet to speak of her to any of the New World Program survivors, least of all the one closest to her.

"….."  
Now wasn't going to be the time.

Hajime Hinata stared off again for a minute, then turned, resolving to at least say a fraction of what needed to be said. "Makoto." He looked him square in the face, "I just… I never got to thank you. For saving me. For saving us all. For giving us hope, and a chance at our lives back…" Makoto was about to protest in his usual (slightly embarrassed) modest manner, but this only served to make Hajime talk louder and more earnestly, "If you hadn't gone against the Future Foundation, I wouldn't be here! I'd have died.. as someone else! As someone horrible! We'd all have died in Despair if it wasn't for you!" he was practically shouting now. "So…" the waves threatened to lap at their feet. "Thank you." He smiled, one of the first warm, genuine smiles in recent memory.

Makoto Naegi smiled back, more than a bit embarrassed, giving a nod. The awkward silence didn't last long. "Just… don't ever think you owe me or any of us an apology for anything again, OK?" Hajime smirked. Makoto smiled back, "Sorr—er, right."


End file.
